Life-saving device



P/l'arch 17, 1931. PASTQN LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed April 22, 1950 awoczmtoz Lou/5 Pqsrorv Patented idler. 17, 1931 PATENT OFFICE LOUIS PASTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIFE-SAVING DEVICE Application filed April 22, 1930.

This invention relates to life saving devices and in particular to a construction adapted for use at the seashore or in a swimming pool.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a net construction which is capable of being raised to lift the person in distress so far out of the water that there will be no danger of their being drowned.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in connection with a raisable net of the character referred to, a means whereby a siren is sounded prior to and during the raising of the net and at the same time, an annunciator at a remote point is arranged to give an alarm so that it can be determined from a headquarter station just which not has been operated so that emergency service may be rendered at the point where it is needed without loss of time.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction which may be ap plied to swimming pools, shores of lakes or seacoast and which affords a measure of protection not heretofore possible to persons in danger of drowning.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view in sectional elevation showing the application of my life saving device to a shore or swimming pool together with a diagrammatic illustration of the alarm sounding device and annunciator, and

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1 showing the arrangement of the net which is drawn up to raise the person in distress out of the water.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 5 indicates the bottom of a swimming pool or seashore to which my invention has been ap- 0 plied, the invention contemplating the use of Serial No. 446,420.

hollow posts 6 in which are pivoted the upper and lower pulleys 7 and 8 respectively, the pulleys being mounted on the axles 9 which pass through the diamet ically opposite sides of the hollow post 6, which may be of square 55 or cylindrical shape in cross section, depending upon the conditions under which they are employed. The pulleys 7 and 8 are arranged to have passed thereover, the cables 9A and 10, which, at one end are secured beyond 50 the water by the stakes l1 and at their opposite ends are arranged to be wrapped about the winding drums 12.

These winding drums 12 are carried on 6" D the opposite ends of a motor shaft 13 which passes through the motor it which is operated from a suitable source ofcurrent 15. The cables 9A and 16 are connected by the netting 16, the netting extending substantially to the post 6 and being turned up slightly at the outer end so that in raising, the edge of the not would catch anyone that was in distress within the posts, which, of course, would define the safety limits of bathing.

The continuation of the cables 9A and 10, as indicated by the numeral 17 and 18 respectively, pass upwardly over the pulley 7 and down and around the pulley 8 and back along the bottom of the pool or beach bottom, to and around the drums 12 to which their ends are secured so that operation of the drums 12 by the motor will cause a drawing in .of the cable extensions 1"? and 18 with the result that a tension will be put on that por- 0 tion of the cables 9-A and 10 and the not will be raised as indicated by the numeral 20 in Figure 1, completely out of the water so that a person in distress is lifted clear of the water with a minimum of time and effort.

lVhen a person is in distress, it would simply be necessary for some observer to operate the handle 21 on the alarm box 22 with the result that the siren 23 would be sounded and the motor i l would begin to operate. At the same time, a distant annunciator 2% would indicate which station the net was being raised at and emergency could be rushed to such point in the event that it was 100 needed.

the person that was in distress clear of the water, as before mentioned, afterswliich they could be removed from the net to safety. If desired, the net could be weighted along its edges so that it would not interfere with the bathers, and would lie flat on the bottom and out of the way. I

It is evident, therefore, that my improved construction may be applied to shores, swimmmg pools or other swimming places and the device may be operated by anyone and the services of a lifeguard can be dispensed with. I I

Further, the device having few parts and being simple of operation may be readily set up or taken down and may be used in batterstation to which a signal is given to indicate the net being raised.

The use of an automatic trip device is contemplated which will stop the motor when the net is raised above the surface of the water.- Means also will be employed for reversing the operation of the motor to permit net to be lowered to its original position, which means may also be automatically eontrolled in :any well known manner.

lVhile l have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made without departing from I the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claims.

' 'lVhatI claim is p g 1. A life saving device comprising a plurality of posts, an upper and a lower pulley in each of the posts, cables passing under the lower pulley and over the upper pulley, anohorstor the ends of the cables, a net con necting the cables from their points or" anchorage to a point adjacent the posts, and means for winding up the free end of the cables. V

2. A life saving device comprising a plurality of posts,a'n upper and a lower pulley in each of the posts, cables passing under the lower pulleys and over the upper pulleys, an-

chors for the ends of the cables, a net connecting the cables from their pointsof anchorage to a point adjacent the posts, drums for reeling in the free ends of the cables, a motor for operating the drums, and a signal associated with the motor.

3.'A life saving device comprising a plurality of posts, an upper and a lower pulley, in eachof the posts, cables passing under the lower pulleys and over the upper pulleys, anchors for the ends or" the cables, a net connecting the cables from their points of anchorage to a point adjacent the posts, drums for reeling in the free ends of the cables, a

we and connected with a central emergency motor for operating the drums, a motor circuit, an audible alarm, a visible indicator and said alarm and indicator both being connected with said motor circuit.

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this 18th day of April, 1930.

s LOUIS PASTQN. [Ls] 

